With Liquid Reality, virtuoso guitarist, composer, and sarodist Anupam Shobhakar has delivered an album that feels both timeless and groundbreaking. Following his historic 2023 release Raga Jhinjhoti on Fretless Guitar — the first-ever recording of Indian classical music on a fretless guitar — Liquid Reality builds on that spirit of innovation, weaving together Indian classical traditions, jazz, rock, and global influences into a rich sonic tapestry.
Anupam’s musical journey began in Bombay, where early days of rock guitar experimentation eventually gave way to deep immersion in Indian classical music. Trained in the ancient Senia Maihar Gharana lineage under legends like Aashish Khan, he’s mastered the ability to move between genres without losing authenticity. Now based in New York, Anupam’s global perspective is embodied in his custom double-neck guitar — one side fretted, one fretless — a creation that allows him to merge Western harmonic depth with the microtonal expressiveness of Indian ragas.
The album’s title feels fitting: each track flows seamlessly between styles, moods, and textures, refusing to be bound by traditional genre lines. At its core, Liquid Reality is an exploration of how music can dissolve cultural boundaries while maintaining deep respect for each tradition it touches.
The record features an international roster of collaborators, each bringing a distinct voice:
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Utsav Lal and Santiago Liebson on piano
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Swami Selva Ganesh, a master of the kanjeera
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Vocalists Ona Kirei and Ben Parag
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Percussionists Satoshi Takeishi, Chris Savarino, and Gumbi Ortiz
Together, they help Anupam create a sound that is both intricate and emotionally resonant.
Highlights Worth Noting
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“La Danse de Bonheur” – A stunning reinvention of the Shakti classic, paying homage to one of Anupam’s biggest inspirations, John McLaughlin. It’s a joyful burst of virtuosity and cross-cultural dialogue.
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“Anjaneya” – A high-energy rock-fusion track that invokes the strength and spirit of the Hindu deity Hanuman, blending fiery electric guitar with intricate Indian rhythms.
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“Formless” – Perhaps the most meditative piece on the album, this duet for guitar and kanjeera captures the space between sound and silence, rhythm and stillness.
Other tracks like “Ladders to the Sky”, “Hey Ghalib”, and “Fallen Leaves” each showcase different aspects of Anupam’s artistry — from introspective lyricism to expansive, improvisation-driven explorations.
With Liquid Reality, Anupam Shobhakar isn’t just blending genres for novelty’s sake — he’s advancing a genuine musical conversation between Indian classical music, jazz, and progressive rock. His work pushes the vocabulary of the electric guitar forward while staying deeply rooted in centuries-old tradition.
Listeners who love the adventurous spirit of Kurt Rosenwinkel, Nels Cline, or John McLaughlin/Shakti will find familiar brilliance here, but Liquid Reality also offers something entirely its own — a sound world where East and West meet as equals.
Liquid Reality is more than an album; it’s a testament to what happens when technical mastery meets fearless creativity. For fans of global fusion, improvisational music, and genre-defying artistry, this is essential listening. And for guitarists, it’s a blueprint for what’s possible when you stop asking “what can this instrument do?” and start asking “what hasn’t it done yet?”
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